


No More Sad Songs

by GhostDetective



Series: Downton Mixes [8]
Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Angst, Attraction, Budding Love, Forbidden Love, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Requited Unrequited Love, Romance, Secret Crush, Secret Relationship, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 08:09:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15725403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostDetective/pseuds/GhostDetective
Summary: I'm beggin', please, don't playNo more! (Sad songs)No more! (Sad songs)No more! (Sad songs)I'm beggin', please, don't playNo more! (Sad songs)No more! (Sad songs)No more! (Sad songs)I'm beggin', please, don't playNo more sad songs





	No More Sad Songs

“I keep trying, nothing's working  
I still wanna know, if you're alone  
I keep trying to put this behind me  
I still wanna know who's taking you home” 

It had been five years, five long, lonely years, since Jimmy Kent had left Downton Abbey, taking Thomas’ heart with him. Though they had parted on good terms, the letters from Jimmy had trailed off over the past few months. Thomas still thought about him, every day, wondering where he was, who he was with, what adventures his friend had been having since they had parted. His friend. Thomas smiled bitterly. How he had wished that they had been more than that, though he knew, however much he wished it to be so, it could never be. Thomas sighed. 

“For tonight, I'm going to get my mind off it  
Don't care that someone's got his hands all over my body  
Stay out all night, go where the music is loud  
So I don't have to think about it, I'm beggin', please, don't play

No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
I'm beggin', please, don't play  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
I'm beggin', please, don't play no more sad songs” 

He drank the last of his whisky and looked up, meeting the eyes of a handsome blonde man nearby. The man’s blue eyes met Thomas’ as he lifted his own glass to his lips, knocking back his drink and swallowing. Thomas stared. The stranger stood up and crossed the busy pub to meet him.  
“The whiskies look good. What are you drinking?”  
He stood in Thomas’ space, his fingers brushed his shoulder.  
“Whatever’s cheap.” He replied.  
“Can I by you a second?”  
Thomas smiled.  
“If you like.”  
The stranger went to the bar and ordered two more whiskies. He brought them over.  
“What shall we drink to?” Thomas asked.  
“To fate.” The stranger smiled.  
They clinked glasses and drank their whisky slowly, their eyes not leaving the others’.  
“What’s your name?” The stranger asked.  
“Thomas.” He smiled. “And yours?”  
“James.” He replied. 

“Dancing with danger, talking to strangers  
Don't care where I go, just can't be alone  
They'll never know me, like you used to know me, no” 

Thomas smiled.  
“So, James, what do you see in your future?”  
“Well, eventually, I’d like to work in films, become a star, see my name in lights, but, for now, I’d like to spend a lovely evening with you.”  
Thomas smirked.  
“But I don’t know anything about you.”  
James huffed a laugh.  
“Well, I was originally from Yorkshire, but I’ve been travelling, just got back from America, actually, and now I’m looking for a bed for the night.” James leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “Maybe you could help me with that.” He grinned. 

This conversation was taking a risky turn, it was lucky that the bar was so crowded and the barman couldn’t hear them, or they’d be out already, pursued by pitchfork-wielding villagers. James was a handsome man and it had been so long since anyone had showed an interest in him. Opportunities like this didn’t come around very often. 

Thomas drained the last of his whisky and set the tumbler down. Perhaps he wasn’t Jimmy, but he could help Thomas to forget about his problems for one night. 

“For tonight, I'm going to get my mind off it  
Don't care that someone's got his hands all over my body  
Stay out all night, go where the music is loud  
So I don't have to think about it, I'm beggin', please, don't play

No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
I'm beggin', please, don't play  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
I'm beggin', please, don't play

No more sad songs  
No more sad songs  
No more sad songs  
No more sad songs” 

They couldn’t leave the pub together without arousing suspicion, so James left first, Thomas watched him weave between tables and chairs and out of the door. Thomas waited for about five minutes, nursing his empty glass, before he set it down and got up, following James out. 

As soon as the door had closed behind him, James flashed a smile at him and disappeared around the corner of the pub, Thomas looked around them to check that no-one was watching, before he followed. As soon as he rounded the corner, James pulled him into a desperate kiss, pushing Thomas against the wall, his fingers working the buttons of Thomas’ trousers, Thomas fumbled with James’ trousers, freeing him from his restrictive garments. He felt James’ hand close around him and his wrist working Thomas. Thomas shuddered and whimpered, his own hand pumping James furiously. James’ head fell against Thomas’ shoulder, he could hear James panting in his ear, losing himself in the sensation. Thomas could feel himself nearing the edge, he glanced over James’ shoulder, when he saw someone watching them from the street. Thomas met his eyes, recognising the familiar face, before he came, James immediately following him. 

“Thomas?”  
James looked over his shoulder. He swore and jumped away from Thomas, then bolted, doing up his trousers as he went.  
The figure came towards him and Thomas suddenly realised his trousers were open.  
“Shit!”  
He quickly buttoned up his trousers as the man came to stand in front of him and Thomas came face to face with someone he thought he’d never see again.  
“Hello, Jimmy.” 

“Taste  
Of the good life, can you keep pace can you  
Ride shotgun in the fast lane  
With your eyes wide shut  
Tell me do you have faith in me  
Stay  
The whole night 'til you feel the sun rays, can you  
Forget everything your man sayin'  
And let all of our pain be the champagne” 

Jimmy looked Thomas up and down. “Long time, no see. Who was your friend?”  
“Hmm? Oh, nobody, I only met him tonight.”  
Jimmy smiled.  
“That’s a relief.”  
Thomas looked confused. Jimmy looked down at his feet. He had thought about what he wanted to say to Thomas for so long, but, standing in front of his friend, he suddenly found himself lost for words.  
“I needed to see you. I need to tell you something. I couldn’t write this in a letter, it’s something I needed to tell you in person.” Jimmy breathed deeply and looked up, meeting Thomas’ eyes. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened between us, about that night. About what could have happened if…” Jimmy trailed off. “I wasn’t ready before, but I’m ready now… If you’ll have me.”  
Thomas stared at him.  
“You mean you… Want me?”  
Jimmy nodded, his eyes never left Thomas’.  
“Yes.” 

Jimmy reached up and ran his fingers through the short hair at the nape of Thomas’ neck. Thomas let him take the lead. Jimmy’s other hand came to rest around Thomas’ waist. He leaned in closer and, tentatively, he pressed his lips to Thomas’. Thomas cupped Jimmy’s jaw with his hands as he let Jimmy explore his mouth. Thomas met Jimmy’s tongue with his own with the gentlest of flickering touches. Jimmy moaned softly, pulling him closer to deepen the kiss. Thomas’ tongue was like fire, igniting a burning passion within Jimmy and he felt as if his whole body was aflame.  
Thomas broke the kiss, Jimmy leaned in after him, but then opened his eyes.  
“We can’t do this here, we need to find somewhere safe.”  
“I’ve taken a room at the Grantham Arms,” He kissed Thomas again, “we can go there.”  
They staggered towards the Inn, separating for long enough to pass the bar without attracting suspicion and went up to the room. Jimmy let them inside. 

“Let me take the wheel from here  
And penthouse suite chill from here  
Show you the realest years  
Stare at the skies with you  
Only got eyes for you  
Even when the light's off, I'm visualizing you  
I see your wonder wall, I get close to you  
I watch you let it fall, and get emotional  
Erasing past, we are free at last” 

Jimmy closed the door behind them and locked it. He turned to Thomas and saw his eyes dark and full of longing. Jimmy was captivated. He crossed the room and pulled Thomas into another breathtaking kiss. He walked them towards the bed and they fell onto it. Thomas splayed out beneath him. Jimmy unbuttoned his shirt, laying a trail of kisses down his chest, towards his stomach. Jimmy kneeled on the carpet, flicked open the buttons of Thomas’ trousers and slid his trousers and shorts down, revealing Thomas to him. He paused, gazing up at Thomas’ form.  
“You don’t have to…” Thomas began, before Jimmy moved in and Thomas clapped his hand over his mouth to stop himself moaning. 

Jimmy experimented nervously, using his mouth to try different things on Thomas. He might not have had any experience to draw on, but he had heard stories and he knew enough to make a go of it. He found a pace that Thomas seemed to enjoy and intensified it, as he did so, Thomas gave a muffled cry. Jimmy felt himself getting more aroused, he could imagine how good it felt and Thomas’ movements and strangled moans were anything to go by it was better even than he imagined. He closed his eyes, the thought of Thomas doing the same thing to him was almost too much. Thomas convulsed wildly, before he stilled. Jimmy pulled back, clearing his throat. Thomas panted. He shifted on the bed.  
“What was that like?”  
“Heavenly.” Thomas re-dressed himself, a leer crossed his handsome face. “Would you like me to show you?”  
Jimmy’s trousers, already uncomfortable, seemed to tighten immeasurably at the suggestion.  
“Yes.” He breathed. He took Thomas’ place on the bed and Thomas kneeled down, unbuttoning Jimmy’s trousers. As Thomas returned the favour, Jimmy’ felt like his whole body was being electrified, his head hit the mattress as his whole body buzzed with pleasure. 

Jimmy lay in Thomas’ arms as they gazed at the ceiling together. Thomas shifted slightly and Jimmy turned to him.  
“I have to go, they’ll be locking up at Downton in half an hour.”  
“Do you have to go?” Jimmy curled his arms around Thomas. He didn’t want Thomas to leave, not now that they had finally consummated what they felt. His insides were fluttering like a thousand butterflies.  
“I only wish I could stay, Jimmy, but someone might realise that two men went into your room and neither came out. It’s too risky, I need to go.”  
Thomas stood up and Jimmy let Thomas slide out of his grasp.  
“I wish this never had to end.” He muttered.  
“So do I, Jimmy.” Thomas stroked his shoulder.  
Jimmy sat up.  
“Maybe it doesn’t have to. I’ll take a job at the Abbey, I’ll be a Footman. Then we’d never have to be apart.”  
“You’d do all that to be near me?”  
“I would do anything to be with you. I love you, Thomas.”  
Saying it out loud was the most liberating feeling. His insides soared and he felt the butterflies threatening to burst through his chest. Thomas watched him for a moment, then rushed forwards, pinning Jimmy to the bed and kissing him rapturously. Jimmy clung to Thomas for dear life, the longing of the past nine years finally fulfilled. He felt Thomas melt into him and, after all this time, he was complete. 

I'm beggin', please, don't play  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
I'm beggin', please, don't play  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
No more! (Sad songs)  
I'm beggin', please, don't play

No more sad songs


End file.
